Claw-bar.



.un. 696,292. l Patenten Mar.' 25,- |9102.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS VOODHOUSE, OF LEADVILLE, COLORADO.

CLAW-BAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,292, dated March25, 1902.

Application filed October 5,1901. Serial No, 77,690, (No model.)

To @ZZ wiz-017i, t mar/concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS WOODHOUSE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Leadville, in the county of Lake and State ofColorado, have invented a new andImproved Claw-Bar, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new Aand improved claw-barmore especially designed for drawing rail-spikes and arranged to permitof convenientlyadjusting the jaws to replace the same by new oneswhenever necessary and to allow of securely and properly engaging thehead of aspike to draw the latter out of the tie.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out inthe claims.

A practical embodiment of thel invention is represented in theaccompanying' drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts inall theviews.

Figure lis a perspective view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a front endelevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of thesame on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

The improved clawbar consists, essentially, of a handle A, a head B, andthe claws C. The said head B is preferably made of malleable iron andformed with a socket B', into which iits removably the lower end of thesaid handle A, a set-screw D serving to secure the said handle end inposition in the socket. The claws O are formed of straight bars,preferably of steel, triangular in crosssection and removably fittedinto correspondingly-shaped apertures extending longitudinally throughthe bottom portion B2 of the head B and at angles to the socket B andthe handle A. By this arrangement the claws O can be convenientlyslipped under the spikehead at lthe time the handle A-stands in aninclined position to" allow the operator to conveniently manipulate thehandle for applying the claws and drawing the spike. Setscrews E screwin the headB and engage the claws to lock the latter in place after thesame have been adjusted in the head-that is, have been moved to suchposition that their front ends project equally at a desired distancefrom the front end of the head, as plainly indicated in Fig. l. The baseedges of the claws O are beveled at both ends thereofto somewhat red ncethe width of the base ot each claw to allow of slipping the base edgesunder the head of the spike to be drawn.

' In using the claw-bar the inner Opposite beveled sides of the clawsreadily pass under the spike-head, and when the operator bears down onthe handle A the curved bottom B2 of the head Bfornis the ulcrum for theclawbar, and the projecting front ends of the claws O move upward andthereby draw the spike outot the tie.

In case the projecting ends of the claws O are worn out or havebecomedull at their opposite sides the operator loosens the setscrews Eand interchanges the claws, so that the innermost or opposite sides,which were formerly on the outside, are now the active ones for engagingthe head of the spike. In case the ends are completely worn out theclaws are reversed in their seats in the head B, and it both ends of theclaws are worn out the claws are removed from the head and the worn-outends are cut off and rebeveled at the edges of the base and reinsertedin the head for use as above described.

From the foregoing it is evident that the claws O are not onlyadjustable in the head B, but are interchangeable therein and can beused as long as the set-screws E can be screwed up against the clawswhen in the head B.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentl. A claw-bar, having a head formed with a pair oftriangular parallel apertures, and claws of triangular cross-section andadjustably iitted in the said apertures, as set forth.

2. A claw-bar having a socketed head and a pair of spaced parallel clawstriangular in cross-section and secured adj ustably in said head, as setforth.

3. A claw-bar having a socketed head and a pair of spaced claws eachformed of a straight bar triangular in cross-section and securedreversibly in said head.

4. A claw-bar having a socketed head and a pair of spaced parallel clawstriangular in IOO cross-section and each having the ends of the baseedges beveled, said claws being interchangeably secured in the head.

5. A claw-bar, having a head formed with a pair of triangular parallelapertures, claws of triangular cross-section fitted in the saidapertures, and means for securing the claws in place in the head, as setforth.

6. A claw-bar, comprising a handle, a head having a socket for removablyreceiving one end of the handle, the said head having` a pair ofparellel apertures standing at angles to the socket, and claws removablyand adjustably secured in the said apertures and triangular incross-section, as set forth.

7. A claw-bar comprising a head, a pair of claws fitted therein andhaving their opposing active surfaces in divergent relation, and meansfor clamping said jaws to said head.

S. A claw-oar comprising a head, a pair of claws having divergent activefaces in opposing relation and interchangeable one With the other insaid head, and means for holding said jaws in said head.

9. A claw-bar comprising a head, a pair of separate claws havingdivergent active faces in opposing relation and reversible end for end,and means for clamping said claws in operative position in said head.

10. A claw-bar comprising a socketed head having a bearing surface,separate claws having divergent active faces in opposing relation,mutuallyinterchangeable therein, and reversible end for end, and meansfor clamping said claws in active positions.

l1. A claw-bar comprising asocketed head, a pair of straight bar-clawsfitted in said head and having divergent active faces in opposingrelation, and set-screws mounted in the head and impinging thebar-claws.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two witnesses.

THOMAS WOODHOUSE.

Vitnesses:

HERMAN VULPIUS, HERBERT L. CHAMBERLIN.

